These quesadillas are incredibly delicious. The combination of flavors make these feel much more fancy than they actually are.
I am always on the hunt for easy meals for lunch and especially those busy weeknights. Quesadillas are one of those dishes that everyone likes and I enjoy exploring different options. I wanted to keep these vegan, but also wanted to add protein. I thought quinoa would be a perfect addition to these babies. And I was right.
Added bonus: These taste just as delicious heated up the next day. I love having leftovers for lunch.
Butternut Squash Black Bean and Quinoa Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa cooked
- 4 cups spinach
- 2 green onions chopped
- 2 cloves garlic diced
- 2 cups roasted butternut squash
- 1 cup black beans rinsed
- 4 to rtillas I used 6 inch whole grain vegan tortillas
- cilantro for topping
Instructions
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Mix the spinach, garlic and onions in a large skillet over medium heat until wilted, about 3 minutes.
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Remove from heat and add quinoa, squash and beans. Mix well.
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Place tortillas on skillet or griddle prepared with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat. Place spinach/bean mixture on half of the tortilla.
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Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown, making sure to flip over to cook evenly. *Delicately flip over so all of the ingredients don't fall out and all over the place.
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Remove from heat and slice in half. Serve immediately.
I’ve made these quesadillas a few times. I added cheddar cheese one time (which obviously wouldn’t make them vegan anymore) and made them another time with shredded chicken for my husband (you gotta love rotisserie chicken!) They all came out great! The first time I made it, I flipped the quesadilla in the skillet and all of the quinoa, beans and squash fell out all over the place. What a mess! I realized after that I can’t flip them like pancakes and need to be more delicate. Jeez. Lesson learned!
Have a great day!
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 wedge
Amount Per Serving
Calories 431 Calories from Fat 55
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6.1g
Saturated Fat 0.9g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 196mg
Potassium 1488mg
Total Carbohydrates 76.9g
Dietary Fiber 14.8g
Sugars 3.1g
Protein 19.4g
*Nutritional information not 100% guaranteed, provided by www.caloriecount.com
heather @french press says
September 15, 2015 at 3:51 pmI love how healthy these are, and who doesn’t love a quesadilla
lauren.kelly says
September 15, 2015 at 8:35 pmI knew I liked you for a reason Heather, you have good taste 🙂
Doris says
September 15, 2015 at 5:00 pmAnother yummy looking dish !! have you ever made it as an entrée or side dish by leaving out the tortillas ??? If so any tips for the baking time /oven temp when doing this would be appreciated …Would you please post the nutritional info for this recipe as it is and also if the tortillas were omitted ?? thanks so so much!
lauren.kelly says
September 15, 2015 at 8:34 pmThank you Doris! I posted the nutritional information above. And here is the information without the tortillas:
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 wedge
Amount Per Serving
Calories 378Calories from Fat 49
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5.4g8%
Saturated Fat 0.8g4%
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 185mg8%
Potassium 1444mg41%
Total Carbohydrates 66.1g22%
Dietary Fiber 13.2g53%
Sugars 2.9g
Protein 18.1g
Helene says
September 15, 2015 at 7:22 pmLooks so beautiful. I love quesadillas and these are so much healthier. Cant wait to try this! Thank you!!!
lauren.kelly says
September 15, 2015 at 8:16 pmThank you so much Helene!
Jenny B @ Honey and Birch says
September 16, 2015 at 12:45 amI never thought to add quinoa to a quesadilla before – I can’t wait to try it!
lauren.kelly says
September 17, 2015 at 8:59 pmI hope you like them Jenny!
Karen @ The Food Charlatan says
September 17, 2015 at 8:47 pmThese look perfect for a quick lunch, or even better a quick dinner! I love butternut season 🙂
lauren.kelly says
September 17, 2015 at 8:59 pmThank you Karen! I agree 🙂
yole says
June 3, 2016 at 2:29 pmI made this recipe last night. I omitted the butternut squash because I did not have it. The end result was delicious. Thank you for such creative recipe.
lauren.kelly says
June 3, 2016 at 9:11 pmI am so glad you liked it! Thank you for stopping by!
Catherine Weinraub says
September 16, 2017 at 6:16 pmHas anyone tried freezing for make ahead meal?
lauren.kelly says
September 17, 2017 at 9:07 amHi Catherine! I haven’t tried that but I bet you could. After they are fully defrosted, maybe place them in the pan to get them a little toasty? Let me know how they come out!